Ball



April 7, 1942- J. B. DlcKsoN ET Al. '2,278,549

BALL

Filed Aug 3, 1940 A 3 Sheets-Shea?l 1 April 7,1942. J. B. DlcKsoN ErAL 2,278,649

BALL u Filed Aug. 3, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 x Y QI Z0 f E? [6. /g

5%/ z8 s Z 3 4 .D/am. of Mai/1 Cores y Patented Apr. 7, 1942 UNITED STATESy PATENT J OFFICE BALL John B. Dickson, Northampton, and Raphael A. Staiord and Paul E. Bianchiield, Chlcopee, Mass., assignors to A. G. Spalding & Bros. Inc.,- Chicopee, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Application August s, 1940, lserial No. 350,378

(ci. 27a- 60) 8 Claims.

This invention relatesto playballs, particular- 1y baseballs, and to resilient materials useful in I the manufacture of baseballs and other objects One standard baseball which has come into extensive use consists essentially of a leather cover superposed upon a center including woolen4 yarn winding, or divers yarn windings, about amain core consisting of an outer core concen"` trically en losing a cork sphere or inner core of an inch in diameter, the hollow spherical rubber outer core being approximately 11% inches in diameter, or 41/8 inches in circumference.

In making the tests to determine the reactance to hitting of the different balls, a hitting ma- `chine driven by falling weights was used. This machine propelled a standard or 1eague" baseball a distance, after making allowances for such variables as wind velocity, of about 350 feet which is long enough to produce a home run in many ball parks. A large number of balls were tested against the standard distance of 350 feet. Until the development of the present invention,

there have been no "short" balls, or those i'ly- 5l ing less than the standard distance for a standard blow, except certain balls having undesirable properties of lack of balance, tendency to be easily deformed, and other objectionable qualities.

Because of the development of the skill of baseball players, recent years have seen an objectionably large number of heavy hitters having the ability to hit a baseball so far as to assure a home run, or at least far enough to decrease the likelihood of a `fly. The batting averages have been increased by this decreased likelihood of a hit being caught as a fly. The interest of some spectators in the game has lessened because of the increased number of home runs and the higher batting averages which have been 5 attained.

To prevent an objectionably large number of home runs numerous attempts have been made to provide a satisfactory short or "dead ball.v

VThese attempts have included the provision of:

looser orsofter windings of yarn; thicker cords i in the seams between the cover parts to absorb some of the blow from the bat; thicker cords in the-seams between the cover parts to increase the wind resistance and to thereby cut down the flight; and special yarn windings on the centers.

While softer .or looser windings of yarn did result in more sluggish baseballs, it was found 'that such balls were not practical because they were .adversely deformed after being strucklby a baseball bat a relatively few times. Thicker or coarser cords for the seams did not decrease the flight of-the ball sufficiently to produce the desired result of making the game more interestingy to the spectators by reducing the number of home runs and decreasing the batting averages of the players.

In the past it has not always been possible to place the main core at the true center of the ball in winding the yarn thereon, giving rise to erratic balls that could not be pitched uniformly.by reason of being out of balance. Moreover,

the large size of the winding on 'small .diameter main cores may give rise to a greater tendency for the ball to be deformed.

At various times, particularly during the last few years. there has been considerable agitation for a dead ball. However, in many or most instances, the dead balls offered to the leagues b y various manufacturers, when tried, proved to be just as long or in some instances even longer than the standard balls.

As used in this specification, the resiliency of a material refers to its tendency to move in counteraction to'a force. For small forces, such as dropping an object from a height of 100 inches. or hitting it with a projectile moving at the rate of 23 feet per second, the term rebound is used. For large forces, su-ch as dropping an object from a height of 625 feet or hitting it with a projectile moving at about 200 feet per vention to provide durable materials having low` reactance and low rebound. A furth'er object is to provide a baseball equivalent to former baseballs in substantially every respect except that the number of. home runs cannot be as high as in the use of the standard baseball.

Other objects of the present invention are:

To provide a method of controlling the sluggishness of durable resilient materials so that as the ability of baseball players improves, and as other conditions require it, material of suitably sluggish resiliency can be used.

To provide a baseball making use of a smaller quantity of costly wool yarn.

A feature of the present invention is the provision of durable resilient materials having low reactance and rebound.

Another important feature of the Vpresent invention is the provision of a large diameter main core, making possible the use of a relatively small yarn winding, thereby reducing the expense of manufacture of balls.

Other features include: the use of an air pressure main core for the baseball; the use of main co'res of low rebound; and numerous other features apparent from a consideration of the specincation.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a complete baseball.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on a line 2 2 of Fig. 1, showing the present preferred form of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken similar to Fig. 2 but with a modified main core having a double rather than a single outer core on the main core.

Fig. 4 is a modification disclosing a compressed fiber inner core.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of themodified form of the invention with the main core having a hollow interior.

Fig. 6 is a modified form of the present invention with a solid one-piece or solid main core.

Fig. 7 is a chart showing the` effect of changes in composition of shells upon the rebound of baseball main cores having 1% inch diameters and enclosing l inch cores.

Fig. 8 is a graph showing the correlation of the rebound of baseball main cores and the reactance or shortness in flight of corresponding baseballs.

Fig. 9 is a graph showing the correlation of the size of the main core and the reactance or shortness of iiight of corresponding baseballs.

Before describing the present improvements and mode of operation thereof in detail, it should be understood that the invention is'not limited to the details of construction and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings, or to the details of the formulae herein described, which are merely yillustrative of the present preferred embodiments, since the invention is capable of other embodiments, and the phraseology employed is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, Figs. l and 2 disclose a preferred form of the present invention wherein the novel structure comprises aconventional outer cover I0 which may be made winding Il formed from a close and tightly wound outer yarn or string substantially adjaof two pieces each cut out substantially in the shape of a figure 8 and laid edgewiseto each other and secured one to the other by stitching in the well-known manner Within the K ball there is provided a main core A of particularly novel construction which will shortly be de scribed in detail. Between the main core A and the cover` is provided a yarn winding B which may be of any conventional and well-known form, preferably and in general comprising an outer cent the outer cover I0, an inner Winding I2, formed from a coarse yarn loosely or less closely wound directly over the main core A, and an intermediate winding I3 formed from a medium' yarn or string between the inner and outer yarn Winding Il and I2.

The novel main core A shown in Fig. 2, provided by the present invention, should be particularly noted. Heretofore, main cores for baseballs have ordinarily been made of a hollow rubber sphere or outer core approximately 1%; inches in diameter enclosing a cork innercore and approximately 41/8 inches in circumference.

Such a main core rebounds approximately 45 to 50 inches when dropped 100 inches onto a hard surface, or in other words has a rebound of 45% to 50%. The main core A provided by the present invention differs from the conventional onesI in many respects. Of importance it is constructed so'that it has arebound at least 40% less than that of the conventional main core, and some have been already made with a rebound of 1l inches, or '78% less than the standard of 50 The reduction in inches for conventional ones. rebound is accomplished by the use of blends of synthetic rubbers such as Vistanex, Thiokol, A. X. F. and Koroseal. In order to achieve the desired resiliency it is ordinarily preferable to use smoked rubber sheets in the composition. The use of curing agents, plasticizers, accelerators, fillers, etc., is according to the usual practices in such compositions. Because such fillers as felt affect the resilience of rubber, the percentages used in describing the formulae are given with the entire composition as 100% instead of including only the rubbery materials as the basis for 100%. By way of example, the following formulae illustrate the making of synthetic rubber mixtures of limited resiliency:

Formula A suitable. curing agents, such as: gas black 5 parts,

sulfur 10 parts, D. P. G. 3 parts, Tuads 1 part.

and stearic acid 5 parts, and if desired, not morethan 25 parts of loose fiber such as felt scrap and/or not more than 10 parts of zinc oxide or other mineral filler.

The hemispherical shells used in making the outer core of Formula A are preferably given a semicure at 307 F. for 5 minutes and the core itself is given a final cure at 311 F. Alternatively, the hemispherical shells may be given a semicure for 7 minutes at 280-287 F. and the main core may be given a final cure for 30 minutes at 28o-287 F. Expressed in percentages, Formula A comprises l822% rubber and i4-52% A. X. F.

A.,X. FL is a rubber soluble, resilient, somewhat plastic polyxylene material prepared by the catalytic condensation of ethyl chloride and benzene, as described by Shinkle, Brooks and Cody Main cores A outerl cores or shells I5 made V'of Formula A material comprising 18% rubber ameter, -had a rebound of 20-30 inches when dropped loinches upon a hard object at 21 C., or a rebound io-60% less than conventional main cores. Balls made with these main cores average about 10 feet less in flight than standard baseballs, thereby shortening the flight about the desired amount for the present skill of many ball players.

If, in making Formula A material, 12 parts of felt are used instead of 25 parts of felt, the rebound is reduced to 17 inches. If no felt is used, the rebound is reducedto 11 to 12 inches. As shown in the graph .of Fig. 8, the general rule is that the shortness of the baseball, or the reduction in the flight of the ball, is dependent upon the rebound of the main core. The correlation is not perfect, but. provides a convenient standard of reference. Each of the three above-described main cores weighed approximately 1.31 to 1.38 oz.

In developing the present invention it was found by making many tests that when a rubber outer core of a conventional main core is increased in size, the flight of the corresponding baseball is increased. Even if a wool main core is substituted for a rubber main core, a long ball results. It is by the use of a medium size rubbery main core or rubbery covered main core in combination with a medium size yarn winding that a baseball having only the standard distance of flight ha's been produced. According to the present invention, the size of a low rebound main core, such as one made of Formula A, is increased beyond the usual size, suitably to 15/8\ inches. It was found that the flight of the corresponding baseball was materially shortened. It was found that increasing the size of the low rebound main core from 1%, the conventional size, to 1 1/2 inches did not produce a great change, but that when the diameter was increased to 1% inches the flight was considerably shortened, and that additional increases of diameter, at least up to 2*inches, further decreased the flight of the ball, as shown by the graph of Fig. 9. Just K what causes this falling off within those rather close limits is not exactly known.

By increasing the diameter of the main core y relative to the outside diameter of the ball, which according to this invention need not be changed, the thickness of yarn winding B may be substantially decreased and the possibility of deformation of the completed ball may be reduced.

Also, thereby. considerable economy is effected by using a smaller quantity of usually expensive wool yarn.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that contrary to what might be expected, a shorter rather than longer flight is achieved when the main core of the present invention is brought` closer to the outer cover. Also, a more uniform ball is obtained since it is possible to' closely weigh and control the amount of material being built into the main core. Yarn is normally somewhat nonuniform in size and of uneven weight. When several hundred yards of yarn are wound upon each of a number of balls, there is considerable likelihood that the finished balls will have adverse differences in weight even though the. length of the yarn is very closely controlled. Therefore, the use of a smaller quantity of yarnaccording to the present invention makes possible a more convenient and more accurate control of the weight of the ball.

Heretofore there has been only a relatively small amount of empirical data regarding the factors influencing the distance of flight of a baseball. By extensive research and testing, it

*A be 13 feet short.

has been found that several factors influence the distance flown by a baseball when hitby a force `approximately equivalent to that involved in a home run hit; Disregarding the wind, air resistance, etc., it can be said that the ight is dependent upon: 1) the forcefulness of the restoring forces of the resilient materials comprising the ball, (2) the speed of the restoring forces of each component, (3) the quantity of each component, (4) the relative location-0f each n.

. by the graphical presentation of a great amount of laboratory data in Figs. "I, 8 and 9. The numbers for the points on the graphs refer to index numbers for laboratory data. Fig'. 7 shows the effect of changes in composition of the outer coreA uponthe rebound of 15/8 main cores containing 1 inch cork inner cores. The left-hand section of the chart shows the inches of rebound of the main cores, and the right-hand section shows the composition of the durable outer cores as given by the percentages of the rubbery components. The lower portions of both sections relate to Formula A material, and demonstrate that as the percentage of A. X. F. is increased, the rebound is decreased. Similarly, the upper portion of Fig.v`

as the 4rebound is decreased, the flight is short-` ened. The bottom horizontal scale indicates the rebound in inches,`and the left-hand vertical scalle relates to the shortening of the flight in Fig. 9 shows the correlation between the dlameter of the main core and the shortness of flight of the corresponding baseball Vwhen a low rebound material is used for the outer core. The bottom horizontal scale shows the shortening of flight` in feet, and the left-hand vertical scale marks the diameter of the main core. Inner cores of cork, and outer cores of Formula A material having a rebound of about 19 inches, vwere used in the tests shown in Fig. 9.

When the skill of baseball players justifies it, a baseball having a shortening. in flight consid'- erably greater than 30 feet can be produced by the use of a very large main core of veryA low rebound. At the present time the skill of the players requires a ball about l0 feet short in flight. If a slightly greater shortening were desired, reference could be made to Figs. 7, 8 and 9 for the formulation of such a ball. For example, a ball having an outer core containing 51% Vistanex and 11%A rubber, andbeing 15/8 inches in diameter,` and enclosing a 1 inch cork core to form a main core having a rebound of 16 inches, would An example of a formula for such an outer core would be:

Formula B scrap, 20 parts zinc oxide, 5 parts gas black, 10

parts sulfur, 3 parts D. RAG., l part Tuads, and

1 part stearic acid. Vistanex is a rubber soluble, resilient, synthetic macromolecular material obtained by polymerizing refinery gases containing essentially isobutylene.

That modification shown in Fig. 3 comprises a ball very similar to that shown and described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2, differing from the latter primarily in the provision of a main core C after the teaching of Reach Reissue Patent y 17,200. A cork inner core I6 is enclosed within an intermediate core I1 vwhich is enclosed within an outer core I8 of cured and vulcanized rubber. The' intermediate core I1 is preferably made of Koroseal, a rubber soluble, resilient, synthetic macromolecular material obtained by polymerizing vinylchloride. The manufacture of Koroseal, A. X. F., Vistanex, Thiokol, and other rubber soluble resilient synthetic macromolecular materials is described by D. North in the April 1940 issue of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, vol. 47, 22.

According to the present invention. the resiliency of a playball is controlled not only by means of the size and composition of the outer core but also by the size and composition of the inner core. That modification shown in Fig. 4

comprises a main core D and includes an inner core I9 which is made of compacted kapok. .it has been found that cork inner cores have a rebound of about 26 inches and that kapok inner cores have a rebound of 19 inches. The outer `score 20 of Fig. 4 may be made of Formula B material. To provide a ball having an even shorter iiight. the inner core may be made of Vistanex.

Using a 1 inch Vistanex inner core and 1% inch shells made of a material comprising 14% rubber, 21% Vistanex, 36% Thiokol, 17% felt scrap, and suitable curing agents, a ball was obtained having satisfactory durability, and having a flight 35 feet less than the standard ball. Thickol 'is .a poly'alkenesulde.

The form of the. invention disclosed in Fig. 5 differs from the forms previously described primarily in the'provision of a main core 2l in the form of ahollow sphere filled with gas or air at a pressure of approximately pounds. Preferably the main core 2l is approximately 17/8 inches Satisfactory results can composition such as Formula A or Formula B,

especially if fillers and curing agents are used so as to produce an air pressure .main core having considerable stiness and little compressibility.

If the main core 2i has too much compressibility, an impact will shift the windings to produce a misshapen ball. It was found that the ball made with said air pressure main core was 30 feet short of the standard controls.

In making a baseball consideration must not only be given to size and resiliency but also to the weight of the ball members. Many materials otherwise satisfactory cannot be used because of their specific gravity. To obtain a ball of proper --weight it has been customary to use an inner core of cork or similar material, -and attempts to avoid it haveordinarily been unsatisfactory by reason of the lack of durability of the ball or the increase in its night. That form. of the invention disclosed in Fig. 6 provides a solid main core 22 vwhich is made of like material throughout its entire' massand it does not include a separate inner core on the inside of a hollow rubbery sphere. This solid main core 22, so that it will outside diameter of approximately not be excessive in weight, is preferably made according to one of the following formulae:

Formula C Formula C includes as its main constituents: 10 parts smoked sheet rubber, 80 parts Vistanex, 200 parts Thiokol, and 100 parts ground cork and suitable curing agents such as 6 parts D. P. G., 3 parts Tuads, 15 parts zinc oxide, 12 parts gas black, 6 parts stearic acid, and 9 parts sulfur.

Expressed in percentages, Formula C comprises 4% rubber, 18% Vistanex, 45% Thiokol, and 23% cork. This composition had a rebound of 11 inches.

Formula D Formula D is a cork mixture using 30 parts smoke sheet, parts A. X. F., 60 parts ground cork, and suitable curing agents such as 5 parts sulfur, 5 parts gas black, 5 parts zinc oxide, 3 parts D. P. G., 1 part Tuads. and 1 part stearic acid. A baseball using a solid main core of this composition was 13 feet short of the standard.

If the solid main core were made of ordinary rubber, the baseball Would be long instead of short; moreover, there is likelihood that it would change shape considerably, as has been found in actual tests. Making baseballs with solid rubber main cores lengthen'ed night and decreased durability. However, by making 'this solid sphere of the materials aforementioned the night is shortened and the durability is increased.

The selected materials, forming in the finished ball an intimate elastic mixture, are suitably compounded in the usual manner and with ingredients commonly used for the purpose of curing, filling, pigmenting and the like. or admixtures may be blended, shaped, and cured with conventional machinery. All proportions used in the specification and claims refer to parts or percentages by weight.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a durablesluggish baseball the combination of a main core, a major portionof the mass of which'is made from a mixture comprising at least 10% modifying material chosen from the class consisting of polyisobutylene, polyalkenesulfide, polyxylene, polyvinylchloride and similar synthetic rubber and resinlike materials. said main corebeing approximately '1l/2 to 2 inches in diameter, said main core having a rebound cf less than 30 inches when dropped 100 inches; an outer cover approximately 9 to 91A inches in circumference; and at least one yarn winding bctween the center and the outer cover.

2. In a durable sluggish baseball the combination of an inner core having a diameter of frcm '7/8 of an inch to 1% inches approximately; a hollow spherical member surrounding said inner core. said hollow spherical member having an 11/2 to 2 i inches, said hollow spherical shell being made hollow spherical member combining with saidv inner core to constitute a main core having a rebound lower than thirty inches in a inch The materials aavaeee drop; an outer cover; and at least one yarn winding between the main core andthe cover.

3. In a baseball the combinationgof an inner core oi compressed kapok; a rubbery outer core including at least 25% modifying material chosen from the class consisting of polyisobutylene, polyalkefesulilde, polyxylene, polyvinylchloride, and similar rubber soluble resilient, synthetic macromolecular material;v an outer lcover; and at least one yarn winding between the cover and the outer core.

l. In a baseball an inner core of polyls'obutylene, said core being of a relatively large diameter.

5. A durable sluggish baseball including relatively large core members with respect to core members of conventional league baseballs, said core members including at least 25% modifying materials chosen from the class consisting of polyisobutylene, pclyalkenesulde, polyvinylohloride and polyxylene, and said core members having a rebound of less than 30 inches when dropped 100 inches,

6. A playball including a relatively large inner cere of polyisobutylene and an outer core member of rubber and at least 25% modifying materials chosen from the class consisting of polylsobutylene, polyallrenesulde, polyvinylchloride and polyxylene.

7. In a curable sluggish baseball, the combination oi a nonbrous, rubberlike main core, a maler portion of the mass of which is made from e. mixture comprising at least 10% modifying ma- `surrounding ,dropped 100 inches; an outer cover approximately 9 to 91A, inches in circumference; and onlyr tightly wound windings of textile illaments'be` tweenY the main core and cover.

3. In a durable sluggish baseball, the combination oi' a noniibrous inner core having a diameter of approximately to 1% inches; a nonlbrous, rubberlike `hollow spherical member said inner core, said hollow spherical member having an outside diameter ing a composition including at least 25% modifying material chosen from the class con=` sisting of polyisobutylene,- polyalkenesulde, polyxylene, polyvinylchloride, and similar rubber soluble, resilient, synthetic macromolecular material, and said hollow spherical member combining with said inner core to constitute a main core having a rebound lower than 30 inches in a 1GO-inch drop; an outer cover 9 to 91A inches in circumference; and only tightly wound windings of textile filament between the main core and the COVE?.

JOHN B. DICKSON. RAPHAEL A. STAFFORD. PAUL E. BLANCHFIELD. 

